The Open and the Shut Door

Sabbath, March 24, 1849, we had a sweet and very interesting
meeting with the brethren at Topsham, Maine. The Holy Ghost was poured out upon
us, and I was taken off in the Spirit to the city of the living God. Then I was
shown that the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ relating
to the shut door could not be separated, and that the time for the commandments
of God to shine out with all their importance, and for God's people to be tried
on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened in the most holy place in
the heavenly sanctuary, where the ark is, in which are contained the ten
commandments. This door was not opened until the mediation of Jesus was
finished in the holy place of the sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus rose up and
shut the door of the holy place, and opened the door into the most holy, and
passed within the second veil, where He now stands by the ark, and where the
faith of Israel now reaches. {EW
42.1}

I saw that Jesus had shut the door of the holy place, and no
man can open it; and that He had opened the door into the most holy, and no man
can shut it (Revelation 3:7,8); [See page 86. See also Appendix.] and that
since Jesus has opened the door into the most holy place, which contains the
ark, the commandments have been shining out to God's people, and they are being
tested on the Sabbath question. {EW 42.2}

I saw that the present test on the Sabbath could not come
until the mediation of Jesus in the holy place was finished and He had passed
within the second veil; therefore Christians who fell asleep before the door
was opened into the most holy, when the midnight cry was [43]
finished, at the seventh month, 1844, and who had not kept the true Sabbath, now
rest in hope; for they had not the light and the test on the Sabbath which we
now have since that door was opened. I saw that Satan was tempting some of
God's people on this point. Because so many good Christians have fallen asleep
in the triumphs of faith and have not kept the true Sabbath, they were doubting
about its being a test for us now. {EW 42.3}

The enemies of the present truth have been trying to open
the door of the holy place, that Jesus has shut, and to close the door of the
most holy place, which He opened in 1844, where the ark is, containing the two
tables of stone on which are written the ten commandments by the finger of
Jehovah. {EW 43.1}

Satan is now using every device in this sealing time to keep
the minds of God's people from the present truth and to cause them to waver. I
saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time
of trouble; and every soul that was decided on the truth and was pure in heart
was to be covered with the covering of the Almighty. {EW 43.2}

Satan knew this, and he was at work in mighty power to keep
the minds of as many people as he possibly could wavering and unsettled on the
truth. I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York and other places was the
power of Satan, and that such things would be more and more common, clothed in
a religious garb so as to lull the deceived to greater security and to draw the
minds of God's people, if possible, to those things and cause them to doubt the
teachings and power of the Holy Ghost. [See page 86. See also Appendix.] {EW 43.3}

I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of
ways. He was at work through ministers who have rejected the truth and are
given over to [44] strong delusions to believe a lie
that they might be damned. While they were preaching or praying, some would
fall prostrate and helpless, not by the power of the Holy Ghost, but by the
power of Satan breathed upon these agents, and through them to the people.
While preaching, praying, or conversing, some professed Adventists who had
rejected present truth used mesmerism to gain adherents, and the people would
rejoice in this influence, for they thought it was the Holy Ghost. Some even
that used it were so far in the darkness and deception of the devil that they
thought it was the power of God, given them to exercise. They had made God
altogether such a one as themselves and had valued His power as a thing of
nought. {EW 43.4}

Some of these agents of Satan were affecting the bodies of
some of the saints—those whom they could not deceive and draw away
from the truth by a Satanic influence. Oh, that all could get a view of it as
God revealed it to me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan and be
on their guard! I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract,
deceive, and draw away God's people, just now in this sealing time. I saw some
who were not standing stiffly for present truth. Their knees were trembling,
and their feet sliding, because they were not firmly planted on the truth, and
the covering of Almighty God could not be drawn over them while they were thus
trembling. {EW 44.1}

Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were,
until the sealing was past, until the covering was drawn over God's people, and
they left without a shelter from the burning wrath of God, in the seven last
plagues. God has begun to draw this covering over His people, and it will soon
be drawn over all who are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter. God will
work in power for His people; and Satan will be permitted to work also. [45]{EW 44.2}

I saw that the mysterious signs and wonders and false
reformations would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me
were not reformations from error to truth. My accompanying angel bade me look
for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see
it; for the time for their salvation is past.1

1The writer of these words did not understand them as teaching that the
time for the salvation of all sinners was past. At the very time when
these things were written she herself was laboring for the salvation of
sinners, as she has been doing ever since.

Her understanding of the matter as it has been presented to her is given
in the following paragraphs, the first published in 1854, and the second in
1888:

"The 'false reformations' here referred to are yet to be more fully
seen. The view relates more particularly to those who have heard and rejected
the light of the advent doctrine. They are given over to strong delusions. Such
will not have 'the travail of soul for sinners' as formerly. Having rejected
the advent, and being given over to the delusions of Satan, 'the time for their
salvation is past.' This does not, however, relate to those who have not heard
and rejected the doctrine of the second advent."

"It is a fearful thing to treat lightly the truth which has convinced
our understanding and touched our hearts. We cannot with impunity reject the
warnings which God in mercy sends us. A message was sent from heaven to the
world in Noah's day, and the salvation of men depended upon the manner in which
they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God
was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the
flood. In the time of Abraham, mercy ceased to plead with the guilty
inhabitants of Sodom, and all but Lot with his wife and two daughters were
consumed by the fire sent down from heaven. So in the days of Christ. The Son
of God declared to the unbelieving Jews of that generation, 'Your house is left
unto you desolate.' Looking down to the last days, the same infinite power
declares, concerning those who 'received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved,' 'For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they
should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.' As they reject the teachings of His Word,
God withdraws His Spirit, and leaves them to the deceptions which they
love." {EW 45.1}